Prostate testing is a very important element of preventive healthcare in men as they reach middle age and beyond. That's because risk of prostate problems, including prostate cancers, increases with age. So if you are in your 40s or 50s and haven't had prostate PSA level testing yet, it's probably time to make an appointment with a lab-testing center for a prostate test near Greenville, NC.

Why is it so important for men to have prostate tests?

Because an annual prostate test near Greenville, NC can potentially save your life, providing early warning for prostate cancer. Men are more frequently affected by this form of cancer than any other, aside from skin cancer. When it is caught early, before it has time to spread, prostate cancer can be treated quite successfully. In fact, according to American Cancer Society statistics, early-stage prostate cancer has a 5-year survival rate of 100 percent, as compared to a 29 percent rate once the cancer has had time to spread.

So what, exactly, is involved in prostate cancer testing?

Standard prostate cancer screening is done with a simple blood test, called the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test. It measures levels of PSA a protein made by the prostate gland in the blood. If you have high levels of PSA, the cause may be a condition like prostatitis or enlarged prostate, but high PSA can also be a sign of a cancerous prostate. For that reason, if you have a prostate test near Greenville, NC and receive results showing high PSA levels, it is important to follow up with a visit to your doctor, who may wish to send you for a prostate biopsy to rule out prostate cancer.

THIS SERVICE IS NOT AVAILABLE IF YOU ARE UNDER 18 OR LIVE IN MA, MD, NY, NJ, OR RI.

The material on this page is educational and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your physician if medical advice,
diagnosis or treatment is needed. Health screening lab tests may or may not alert you and your doctor to serious medical conditions and are not intended
to be a substitute for a physician's examination.